Shielded connector system

Abstract

A system comprises a cable connector, a board-mounted receptacle to which the cable connector is electrically coupled, and an electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shield that is disposed about the board-mounted receptacle. The EMI shield has an opening through which the cable connector is inserted to be coupled to the board-mounted receptacle. The EMI shield covers a portion of a board, to which the board-mounted receptacle is mounted, and a surface of the EMI shield adjacent to the board covers at least 11% of the portion.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a cable connector;   a board-mounted receptacle to which the cable connector is electrically coupled; and   an electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shield that is disposed about the board-mounted receptacle, the EMI shield having an opening through which the cable connector is inserted to be coupled to the board-mounted receptacle;   wherein the EMI shield covers a portion of a board, to which the board-mounted receptacle is mounted, and a surface of the EMI shield adjacent to the board covers at least 11% of the portion.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises at least one peg hole. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the board-mounted receptacle comprises at least one peg. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the board-mounted receptacle mounts to the board through the peg hole. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the EMI shield is rectangular and comprises sides of less than 0.089 inches thick. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the surface is less than 0.089 inches thick. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the board-mounted receptacle comprises a set of contacts that electrically couple the board-mounted receptacle to the board through at least one contact hole in the surface. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the board comprises at least one support hole, and the EMI shield comprises at least one support member that is displaced into the support hole by the cable connector when the cable connector is coupled to the board-mounted receptacle. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer coupled to the board. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the board comprises a circuit board. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cable connector comprises a Mini Multilane internal connector. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the cable connector is shielded. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the EMI shield also accepts an unshielded Mini Multilane internal cable connector. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the board-mounted receptacle is a right angle board-mounted receptacle. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a rectangular housing comprising an opening through which an EMI shielded cable connector is inserted to be electrically coupled to a board-mounted receptacle, the housing disposed about the board-mounted receptacle, the housing shielding EMI;   wherein the housing covers a portion of a board, to which the board-mounted receptacle is mounted, and a side of the housing adjacent to the board covers at least 11% of the portion.   
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the side comprises at least one contact hole through which a set of contacts of the board-mounted receptacle electrically couple to the board;   wherein the side comprises at least one peg hole through which at least one peg of the board-mounted receptacle mounts to the board; and   wherein the side comprises at least one support member that is displaced into at least one support hole of the board by the cable connector when the cable connector is coupled to the board-mounted receptacle.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cable connector comprises a shielded Mini Multilane internal connector and the housing also accepts an unshielded Mini Multilane internal cable connector. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a Mini Multilane internal cable connector comprising a connector portion and a cable portion; and   a first EMI shield disposed at least partially about the connector portion and at least partially about the cable portion;   wherein the cable connector electrically couples to a board-mounted receptacle through an opening in a second EMI shield that is disposed about the board-mounted receptacle; and   wherein the second EMI shield covers a portion of a board, to which the board-mounted receptacle is mounted, and a surface of the second EMI shield adjacent to the board covers at least  11 % of the portion of the board.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second EMI shield also accepts an unshielded Mini Multilane internal cable connector. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first EMI shield comprises an upper portion disposed on a first side of the cable connector and a lower portion disposed on a second side of the cable connector.